Testing Out Micro In The Ocean

[WalkersKiller]

So after my recent trip to the Eastern Cape I realised that saltwater micro fishing is actually pretty difficult. Caught some beautiful fish but it was so difficult to hook them. My hook sizes ranged from size 14 to size 22. I would catch 1 fish for every 20 or so bites. I think it is quite a challenge and very rewarding. I didnt use any lures, only baits such as sardine and chokka... I used a very light berkley 5 foot rod paired with a shimano fx 1000 with 5lb double x. This setup was great and I love this rod, lent it from a mate of mine, and I want to get something similar. Didnt take as many pics as I should of but here are some below...

[John F]

Hey WK,

If I call the fish in the pics mini- and not micro- would you be very mad with me?

Still think you can go smaller (assuming that's the point of micro-fishing?)... all you need to do is research their feeding habits and present them with their favorite food item... you see lot's of species change their food items as their grow... fishbase would be a good starting point (it's getting technical I know.... but hey you asked for it!)

So maybe chocka and sardine are not the best baits for them.... try other items such as macroalgae (a lot of these species are omnivorous and/or herbivores at that stage), worms or clams...

Anyway good challenge!

[Ziggy]

Hey WK,

If I call the fish in the pics mini- and not micro- would you be very mad with me?

Still think you can go smaller (assuming that's the point of micro-fishing?)... all you need to do is research their feeding habits and present them with their favorite food item... you see lot's of species change their food items as their grow... fishbase would be a good starting point (it's getting technical I know.... but hey you asked for it!)

So maybe chocka and sardine are not the best baits for them.... try other items such as macroalgae (a lot of these species are omnivorous and/or herbivores at that stage), worms or clams...

Anyway good challenge!

the bigger challenge is designing micro lures that would catch those micro fish that John is talking about. I would imagine that a tiny hook with a sliver of camo worm could be one way. Even tiny flies may work

[John F]

Or tiny sabiki-like lures...

[WalkersKiller]

Marcos thanks for that I agree with you there, not quite micro, the blacktail in the first pic was 4cms though. Definitely can go smaller and I want to go smaller, I appreciate the advice will definitely look into it further, any further tips on baits for smaller species and how to get them on a hook?

Yeah definitely is a challenge Ziggy, tried some tiny flies out and got a small Karanteen (About 6cms)... I think I need to get these flipping things on bait before I move to the lure side of things though 

[Ziggy]

Or tiny sabiki-like lures...

Agreed - they are almost flies really - but go much much smaller using tiny fly hooks as the base

[WalkersKiller]

Or tiny sabiki-like lures...

Tried those, surprisingly they did not work 

Think more natural baits to the fish should be the way to go then?

[Ziggy]

Or tiny sabiki-like lures...

Tried those, surprisingly they did not work 

Think more natural baits to the fish should be the way to go then?

maybe they were too big? you could tie a few different version on your vise, something with flash maybe?


Can you tie something that looks like macroalgae...I wonder?

[WalkersKiller]

Interesting that could be a plan.

[John F]

If you can use barnacles as bait that could work?

I can see you adding a magnifying glass to your tackle box already

[Marthin]

most of them eat algae i think... you are going to struggle a bit.... even when we dropped large cuts of bait when diving, none of the fish smaller than your 4cm more or less would be around....

The fish that size and smaller in the southern cape would be right against the side of gulleys in shallow water..... Even when walking on the rocks you will see them "flash) in pools.

[WalkersKiller]

Could be a good idea that Marcos... Hehe will get one in there, should have one already to tie these knots 

Marthin at the spots in Kenton there are always micros around, everywhere we fish in the river and off the bricks you can see them and you can almost sight fish at them, lots of 2-3cm fish especially blacktail, karanteen and zebra, they go crazy when we drop bigger baits at them... Tried to catch some tiny tiny blacktail that were in a rock pool a few feet deep, couldnt hook them but they chowed the bait every time, attacking it crazily 

[WalkersKiller]

I miss the ocean already 

[Ziggy]

I miss the ocean already 

well - move from the big smoke to the coast - simple!

[WalkersKiller]

WISH it was that simple...

[Ray Hall]

...best way to do micro fishing in the ocean is with a gooinet ;-)

[John F]

...best way to do micro fishing in the ocean is with a gooinet ;-)

... and if that fails there's always rotenone